(a) Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a method of generating oxygen for emergency use, wherein an additional compound of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide (2Na.sub.2 CO3.3H.sub.2 O) is employed.
(b) Description of the prior art
One's life is sometimes endangered by oxygen starvation at the time of escape from a fire. In such case, a supply of oxygen is needed. Besides, when poisonous gases are generated at the time of fire, it is necessary to wear a poisonous-gas absorbing mask which contains active carbon, for example, and at the same time, to get oxygen supplied. Thus, it is possible to escape danger. For this particular purpose, it is desired to have an oxygen generating means which is light in weight and handy to carry around and which can produce oxygen by simple operation. A handy oxygen generating means is also demanded in such case that oxygen inhalation is urgently needed when people get sick suddenly.
As an oxygen generating method applicable to such oxygen generating means, a method may be considered, wherein an addition compound of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide is intermixed with water in the presence of a catalyst to generate oxygen. When 2 mols of the addition compound of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide is intermixed with water in the presence of a catalyst, 48 g of oxygen is generated through a chemical reaction as shown by the following chemical reaction formula: EQU 2Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3.3H.sub.2 O.sub.2 .fwdarw.2(Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3.H.sub.2 O.sub.2)+H.sub.2 O+1.50.sub.2
This reaction takes place as follows: when the addition compound of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide is intermixed with water, the addition compound is decomposed into sodium carbonate and a hydrogen peroxide solution. The hydrogen peroxide solution is then decomposed by the catalyst into water and oxygen. This reaction takes place drastically and moreover, causes the generation of heat. Consequently, depending on the amounts of water and catalyst used, the temperature instantaneously jumps to 100.degree. C. causing bumping, while releasing oxygen and vapor simultaneously, to complete the reaction in a very short space of time. This is not desirable as an oxygen-supplying method for cases of accident and sudden illness in which a supply of oxygen is demanded continuously at a constant rate for a certain period of time.
Therefore, in order to generate from an addition compound of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide of an amount that is conveniently carried around and usable in emergencies oxygen of an amount needed for emergency inhalation constantly for a predetermined length of time, it is necessary to check the drastic generation of oxygen and control the reaction so that oxygen is generated at a constant rate for a predetermined period of time. For this particular purpose, it is necessary to add water and a catalyst little by little and slowly thereby controlling the amounts of water and catalyst to be added, while observing the amount of oxygen being generated. In case of emergency, however, it is practically impossible to get a supply of oxygen while making such control.